The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-23
THE NATIONAL DRILL.


Preparations for the Coming Display-The
Programme To BE Observed.
Special to the INDIANAPOLIS Journai.
WAsHISGToN, May 22.-The national drill will
begin tomorrow, when Camp George Washing
ton will be formally opened, aud the day will be
spent in getting things to rights in accordance
with military discipline. The troops will be as
signed to their camps and locations on the
grounds. and will be kept busy enough in locat-
ing themselves until o'clock in the afternoon,
when formal opening in the fashion of dress
parade is promised. With Tuesday the grand
business begins The programme will be as fol-
lows:
The competitions in drill between the infantry
companies from 10 A. DL until P. NJ; zouaves
meet to compete at 2:3O P. NJ; exhibition dill at
o'clock and dress parade hour later. The
artillery drills will be given at the Athletic Park.
Wednesday will be devoted to parades
and reviews in the morning and competitive
drills in the afternoon, and a formal dress pa
rade at O'Clock. On Thursday the infantry
companies will drill for prizes between 10 A. NJ.
and P. NJ. and very interesting contesti is an
ticipated. The zouaves will contest immediate
ly after the infantry competition, and they will
be followed at P. NJ. by individual competition
tor preference in the manual of arms. On FRI
day the infantry competitions and those of the
battalions. succeeded, as usual. by dress parade,
will be the order of the day. and on Saturday
the interesting feature of the occasion will be
the competitive drill of the cadets who have
listed their services in the meeting. On Sunday
next there will be religious services and
a dress parade. On Monday. a street
parade, exhibition drills and dress parade;
artillery drills. rife practices Tuesday
and Thursday, and Friday and Saturday.
Wednesday, the 25th, and Monday, the 30th
Decoration day1, will be the two great days of
the camp in popular estimation. Wednesday
will be Governors day, on which day the Gov
ernors of the several States with their staffs.
will surround the President a grand stand in
front of the White House and review the troops
in camp. On Decoration day the soldiers in
camp will be invited so join the procession to
Arlington, to join with the Grand Army of the
Republic in the exercises of the day. In the aft
ernoon of that day the prizes and trophies. the
flags and stands of colors. the medals and cash
premiums will be presented oy the President to
the commands judged to have been the most
skilled in drill. Next there will be religious
services in camp, and Rev. r. Dewitt Talmage
the famous Brooklyn divine, will preach to the
soldiers.
The prizes are the largest ever offered, and, in
the aggregate amount to $26 500 with other
souvenir trophies. The broad acres of the
monument grounds have been assigned to fur
nish quarters for the visiting regiments and bat
talons, and every appointment has been per-
fected to convenience the outfit on the tented
field and throughout the city. Striking and
charac teristic memories are brought up to one
visiting the city of tents erected about and
around the base of the monument, and one is
emphatically reminded of the dark days of 1861.
when 30 the first call to arms after the fri ng
on Sumter. the same place converted into
wasted tented fields of soldiers who marched
southwark for business purposes The Red
Cross hospital service is feature of the encamp-
ment The whole thing is in charge OF Clara
Barton. the president of the United States branch
of the Red. Cross. and has been arranged just
if, in reality, there were a
Arrival of the Indianapolis Companies.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, May 22.-This afternoon, short
ly after o'clock, the Light Artillery of Indian
apolis, Captain Curtis, went into camp at Camp
Washington, at the prettiest point on the
grounds. They were in splendid humor when
tkey arrived, having by special train, and
when they their camp assignment they
were delighted. Their tents are pitched along
Luo WcSscEu slop0 ol tuo uouuu surrounding tno
Washington monument, against the driveway
overlooking the Potomac, Babcock lake.
and in full view of Arlington. ACROSS the river
and the White House, half mile to the north
Captain Curtis, after looking the field aud
making inquiry at headquarters. stated to the
Journal correspondent that his company would
have eight or ten competitors, composed of
crack men, too. He was confident of taking first
prize. as usual, however, and hoped there would
be sharp competition.
Late this evening the Light Infantry arrived
and went into camp near the Artillery, where
are located. also. the Fort Wayne Rifles, Capt.
Frank Rawles With the latter are camped
eight members of the Warsaw Light Guards.
The Light Artillery, so far, have attracted
more attention than any of the troops in camp.
To days Post says:
''The Fort Wayne Rifles, under Captain
Rawles, after their thirty hours ride, formed
and marched up the avenue looking as neat and
fresh in their handsome uniforms of cadet gray.
with white helmets, as If they had just left
their armory for a dress parade. They were
quartered just opposite the Monmouth Guards.
where they lost no time in getting into their
tents for the night. Each company was accom-
panied by large number of ladies and gentie-
men, and the hotels have begun to fill up"
WEATHER CROP BULLETIN.
An Excess OF Temperature and Deficiency of
Rainfall in Agricultural Regions.